Unleash the Magic of Your People
Last spring I brought my 4 year old daughter to a free magic show in the park. I stood in the back arms crossed, ready to be bored. What I wasn’t ready for was the wonder that I felt watching this truly talented magician.
His tricks were not just for kids!
As a he poured real milk into a rolled up newspaper on top of a kid’s head who stayed dry, I found myself wondering…How was he doing this? How was I, an adult, not able to figure it out? Then finally, who cares, I’m having the best time.
On this rare occasion, my child and I were experiencing something at the same time: AWE.
University of Michigan psychologist Ethan Kross defines awe as “the wonder we feel when we encounter something powerful that we can’t easily explain.” - Harvard Business Review
Months later, I began working with Abracademy, a professional development company that uses magic as a tool to shift mindsets and behaviors. I understood the power that magic had on me that Saturday afternoon, and now I can see how magic supports leaders to do their best work.
Magic, like improv comedy, nudges teams into a state of play and wonder, which opens their minds to new perspectives and possibilities.